Strategy for Other Hunters in "Your" Spot

[Jimmy]

If close, I walk over and talk.

1-Introduce yourself. For me it usually goes very friendly when I'm friendly first.

2-Commiserate over not having the place to yourselves, but what can ya do?(this is where the other guy nods that yeah this sucks)

3-Ask their plans for the hunt, or give them yours.

At this point you decide if he'll go one way and you go hunt the other way. Or, you hunt together as a team. Or, you get all up in each others way and it usually never ends well and everyone goes home upset. (this can vary if it's a huge area or a small spot)

Usually I walk away still disappointed that someone else was there, but now I have a plan. And I usually get their phone number and some guys we'll text for years. Can turn into a good source of information.

 

[StoneTrees]

I had an opportunity years ago to get better intel on this particular ridgeline within the overall system of 5-6 basins I'm working in. Unfortunately, my hunting partner at the time wasn't up to the task physically to get up there.

I also ran into another hunter several years back that was part of a bigger group who'd establish camps to spike out from their base camp along the main road. Never saw the guy again, but this could be one of their setups.

This may or may not be me trying to tell myself it'll all be okay.

 

[RockAndSage]

I had an opportunity years ago to get better intel on this particular ridgeline within the overall system of 5-6 basins I'm working in. Unfortunately, my hunting partner at the time wasn't up to the task physically to get up there.

I also ran into another hunter several years back that was part of a bigger group who'd establish camps to spike out from their base camp along the main road. Never saw the guy again, but this could be one of their setups.

This may or may not be me trying to tell myself it'll all be okay.

Make sure to let us know how it goes, could be interesting

 

[Crowmangler]

I would go & plan to hunt it because this place might be someone's "plan C, D, E or F" spot & they may never even make it to the spot during the year. On a particular piece of public land I have about 6-8 spots that I have scouted as alternate places depending on wind, hunter pressure, time of day, etc. On scouting days I''' build makeshift ground blinds & stash a water bottle just in case & may not get to them during the course of the season. Don't change your plans before you know if it's even a problem

 

[Blowdowner]

You guys all missed the correct answer - find out if there’s fire restrictions and get the “arsonist” arrested.

 

[Boarmaster]

I didnt read all the replies but its public land. Your spot isnt really your spot. This is even an issue on private leases. Anytime your sharing a property your spot is tough to preserve. On our private lease we try to get guys to respect a spot if they see a guy has been working it and has his stand up. Food plots and shooting houses are common areas and cant be claimed as a spot. Using someone else's personal stand or ground blind is frowned upon very heavily. Some of us put up ground blinds on food plots or roads and make it known they are available for anyone to use. Pretty hard unless you have an exclusive property to have your own spot.

 

[lintond]

Get there first, setup camp and enjoy the free firewood.

Otherwise move on somewhere else and deal with it

Strongly disagree! Somebody else did the work to stash the wood under a tarp. Don’t touch it.

Imagine you packed in gallons of water and people drank them. How would you feel. Same thing with trail camera, ground blinds, etc.

The spot is first come, but just leave other people’s stuff alone.


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[StoneTrees]

To be clear, I have no intention of touching anyone's firewood. That's an ethical no-no for me. Public land or not, whoever gathered the wood put in the work and protected it under trees and a tarp. That gives them privileged use of the wood, even if it's technically part of the public domain.

If that pile is still there untouched next year, I'd judge it to be abandoned and fair game at that point.

 

[Glendon Mullins]

Probably not even a hunters stash, neither is the fire ring, I mean think about it, remote ridge, can see a long ways so you can spot people approaching. So probably definitely some kind of serial killer ax murderer type, few teeth, but thinks you have a purty mouth. May not be just one person, but a band of blood crazed inbreds that prey on solo campers, probably rape pillage and then eat people. Yeah definitely probably those types of people made that fire ring.

 

[Northwest Outdoors]

Like others have said, get up there earlier than initially planned but also map out a few other spots just in case. They might not even be up there hunting but who knows, maybe you find a new hunting partner or just trade a little Intel and compare notes etc. Is the area big enough to both of you to camp up there and not be too on top of each other?

 

[dylanvb]

Had this happen to me and my buddy, Went out to the ridge we wanted to scout then noticed once we made the top there were 2 hunters below us struggling to make it to the top. Helped them up to the top and let them have the ridge since we had other areas we wanted to check and they were out of state. Doesn't hurt to be nice but having multiple plans is key IMO.

 

[MNGrouser]

I'll be the umpteenth answer to say, "Get there first." I do think it is an interesting question if you get there first, second guy gets there and stays. Part of me would not want to reward the behavior I see as outside normal ethics. You are just teaching the other guy that failing to honor the "get there first" code has its reward. Too much can go wrong when pissing matches start and it would ruin my hunt to stay there just so he doesn't get the place to himself. I'd move on but I wouldn't like it.

I should add that the Wisconsin deer hunt massacre happened within a 1/2 hour of my hometown. I may be overly sensitive to encroachment squabbles.

 

[johnnycake]

Strongly disagree! Somebody else did the work to stash the wood under a tarp. Don’t touch it.

Imagine you packed in gallons of water and people drank them. How would you feel. Same thing with trail camera, ground blinds, etc.

The spot is first come, but just leave other people’s stuff alone.


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Strongly disagree. Nobody just gets to leave their stuff out on our public lands beyond the time-frames allowed (usually 14 days, but it varies) unless they get a permit to do so.

I can't tell you how many raggedy chunks of tarp I've packed off the mountain for other people (and seen way more). Most all of those started at one point in good condition being used to store stuff on public land. But it's amazing how fast squirrels and birds can decide to shred them and use them for nesting material.

 

[jimh406]

I wouldn't get too excited about it. You have no idea how far they actually get from camp. Maybe they just are there to hang out for a few days every year.

Camp a reasonable distance from them and consider the prevailing winds. Sometimes you can use other hunters to your advantage.

That being said, have more than one spot next year. No matter if you've seen people sign or not, someone could walk up into your spot. That's just part of it.

 

[lintond]

Strongly disagree. Nobody just gets to leave their stuff out on our public lands beyond the time-frames allowed (usually 14 days, but it varies) unless they get a permit to do so.

I can't tell you how many raggedy chunks of tarp I've packed off the mountain for other people (and seen way more). Most all of those started at one point in good condition being used to store stuff on public land. But it's amazing how fast squirrels and birds can decide to shred them and use them for nesting material.

I don’t disagree about old stuff, but in this case I’d say if it’s there fresh I won’t touch it. If it’s obvious it’s been there a while or I saw it last year then I consider it abandoned or “donated to public use”.


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[GSPHUNTER]

It's your camp unless someone is actually there. then go with plan B. I never let a pile of firewood put me off.

 

[ddd-shooter]

I will offer one piece of advice that everyone can and should use.

When hunting in an area with other folks, instead of taking on the role and attitude of them being competition, be part of a team.

This doesn’t mean you need to hunt for them, but being friendly and cool goes a lot further. Who knows, maybe they’re up there for a different animal altogether and would be willing to share intel with you. Even if they’re there for the same animal and season maybe they’re leaving before you and would be willing to share insight or what they’ve seen to make your season better. Likewise, you should be willing to share the same.

I try this approach first. Met some really cool people and learned a lot from them. Divvied up areas, made plans to avoid or help each other, basically the way I think all sportsmen should conduct themselves at a trailhead or public area. This year I thought a gentleman was going to be competing for elk, turns out he had a bighorn tag. Great convo and we both swapped intel on the area and offered to help each other pack out kills.

Tried it with others, got the cold shoulder and at that point, I’m back to “every man for himself.”

 

[hereinaz]

Get there first, get there second, so what if there is someone else there, just hunt it.

In AZ, most ridgelines are big enough to have a completely different hunt than someone else even 100 or 200 yards away with a different vantage point, if you are glassing. Heck, even 10 yards can make a difference when glassing with buddies.

I’ve been on the same knob with other hunters more than once, and we spotted different deer. I’ve been on opposite ridges from other hunters glassing the same canyon and fingers.

You might put them onto deer other than your target buck and they will tag out and you will have a new friend.

If they are typical backcountry hunters I’ve met, they will respect it if you find a buck and want to chase it.

Very few would want to hike that far then blow out the country out of spite.

I don’t abandon my plan A without good reason, just because there is company nearby.

 

[bridgerbenson]

We were in WY this year and I was surprised at the amount of “decoys” put out by locals both at camp sites and at trail heads. 4-wheelers, side by sides, old campers left for the season, tents set up with no one at them for weeks.
I’d recommend just sticking to your plan unless there’s physically someone there, then follow the curtesies recommended above.


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[johnnycake]

I don’t disagree about old stuff, but in this case I’d say if it’s there fresh I won’t touch it. If it’s obvious it’s been there a while or I saw it last year then I consider it abandoned or “donated to public use”.


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Not me. The entitlement people have to leave personal stuff on public land just pisses me off. And seriously, I've had a brand new tarp on private land get shredded by squirrels in just a few days. New or old, don't leave stuff on public lands.